The love that should have been
by Amy21798
Summary: What if Kate had said she loved Castle in the crate? My take on how the 'Countdown' should have gone. Spoliers for 3x17. Please R&R. Will do this for other episodes depending on reviews.


**The love that should have been**

As they sat there, freezing to death. Kate slowly turned her head to face him, her hands going up to his lips and lightly touching them as she spoke.

"Thank you…..for being there" She said with a shaky voice, her lungs freezing more as she spoke.

Castle gave a slight smile as he spoke. "Always"

Her fingers started to drift away from his lips when she started to speak again. "I just want you to know how much I love you…." She drifted of then, almost like falling asleep on his shoulder.

Her hand landed on his stomach as he noticed she was now unconscious. He rubbed her arms up and down, trying to get more warmth in her body as he pleaded with her. "Hey Kate….stay with me. Kate. Stay with me" It was his final plea before he slipped into unconsciousness as well.

A couple of minutes or hours, he wasn't sure, later, he heard a noise and opened his eye again slightly. He saw two figures come in with lights, at first he thought it was the terrorist's coming to finish them off, but then he realized he didn't care. It would be less painful than this. He saw the shadows come closer, their lights flashing in his eye, before he succumbed to the darkness again.

He woke with a start, bolting straight up before he felt a hand on his shoulder pushing him down. "Easy pal" The voice said that was connected to the hand.

"Beckett" was all Castle said in return. "Where is she?" He didn't care how he was, as long as Beckett was ok.

"Sir I'm gonna need you to calm down" The voice said again. But Castle didn't care; he tried to get up again while speaking.

"Where is she?" He repeated getting more and more worried, afraid that he might have made it but she didn't.

"She's gonna be fine" He heard a voice say to his right. He looked over quickly to see Josh getting in the ambulance. "You're both fine, got to you just in time." Caste was still confused why Josh was even _here_.

"Josh" He mumbled as a half greeting, half question.

"Hey" is all Josh mumbled to him before taking a seat and explaining the situation. "So you're recovering from a mild case of hypothermia and you're gonna be a little sluggish for a while but with some warmth and some fluids you should be alright."

"What" Castle said looking over to him again before asking the question that had been on his mind since Josh got in the van. "I thought you were in Haiti?"

Josh mumbled before speaking again. "Didn't go. This is gonna hurt" He said while pulling the needle out of Castles arm. Castle didn't feel anything but kept looking around the van and outside for his partner. "Ok" Josh stared to speak again. "Let's see if we can't get you to sit up" Josh helped Castle sit up and Castle shifted slightly before asking a question.

"How long was I out?" He said, still looking around him.

"About an hour" Josh replied.

"The bomb" Castle said more like a question than a statement.

"Searched the entire warehouse, its gone" Esposito said as he walked up and stood next to the doors on the ambulance. Castle was chatting with Ryan and Esposito about how they found them before he caught sight of Beckett. He was so relieved when he saw her, standing there watching them from beside a police car. He got up, but not without grabbing a blanket first, and made his way over to Beckett. As he got closer she started to smile at him. He smiled back briefly before standing beside her. He wanted to ask her if she meant what she had said, that she loved him, but thought it was a topic for a better time so instead he talked about Josh.

"So your boys back in town" Castle said looking at her and seeing her looking at Josh smiling slightly.

"Mhm" She said looking at him for a little longer before looking at the ground. "He came back"

"So what does that mean to you?" He asked but already knowing the answer from the smile on her face. What she had said must have just been something that was in the heat, or cold in this case, of the moment. Probably like a brotherly love, or the love you feel when you get a new puppy. He felt his heart sinking a little more each time he thought this but he had to stay positive, he was sure he'd get his turn eventually.

"It means we have a chance"

Or maybe he was just hoping that he would get his chance. She was happy with Doctor Motorcycle-boy so why would she dump him for Castle? Josh had his looks, he saved people's lives and most importantly he had her heart. So why would she give that all up for some selfish, immature, playboy man-child like Castle? She wouldn't, she would keep Josh and he would be happy for her, because at least she found her happiness.

"Come on" She said still not looking at him but starting to move off the car. "Fallon wants a de-brief." _Case, bomb, work, right. Just focus on the case Castle. _He kept telling himself as he walked beside her.

They had found the bomb, Beckett was trying to ask Fallon for help but he couldn't do anything. Fallon would have to have been there to actually do something. You could hear his voice down the other end of the line mumbling I'm sorry over and over again. They looked over to each other and you could see the desperation in their eyes.

"Castle" Beckett said. She had hoped they would have time, would have time for everything they missed but with 10 seconds on the clock, she doubted they had enough time. She wondered if he had heard her, in the crate, she had finally admitted she loved him but wasn't sure if he had heard it or if he had, did he feel the same? If he had heard her he didn't mention it, maybe he was too embarrassed to say anything, to tell her he didn't love her. She kept her eyes locked with his as these thoughts ran through her head. She felt him grab her hand and she did the same to his great fully. He just stared at her for a second and she wondered if this was the last time she'd ever see him. His face set in a determined looked.

"I love you" He said before reaching out and yanking all the wires out, effectively defusing the bomb. They both looked at the bomb for a minute before Beckett spoke.

"Oh, Castle!" She said as she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug. He held onto her just as tight as she did him. She started to pull back laughing a bit but he stopped her, not letting go of her waist. She looked at him, right into his baby blue eyes and smiled at him. He lent down and caught her lips in his in a short, sweet kiss. Well, what was meant to be a short kiss but both refused to let go off each other, realising they might have lost each other only seconds ago. When they both pulled back they let their foreheads rest against each other and smiled.

"Do you really love me?" Castle asked still staring at her.

"Always" Beckett replied before kissing him again.

* * *

_**A/N: I know I should be working on my other stories but this popped into my head when I was re-watching the episode so I thought why not. Please R&R and tell me if I should do this with another episode.**_

_**-Amy :)  
**_


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